Spanish Armada treasure discovered off the Sligo coast

Cannons from the Spanish ship La Juliana, which sank of the Irish coast in 1588, have been salvaged. Photo by: Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht.

After over 425 years, treasures including cannons from the Spanish ship La Juliana, which sank off of the Sligo coast in September 1588, have been discovered.

Harsh winter storms over the past few years are believed to be the reason why the cannons only just became visible in late June. Wood planks from La Juliana began washing up on the shore in April.

La Juliana, built in 1570, was a merchant vessel until King Philip II of Spain absorbed it into his Armada fleet for the invasion of England in hopes of stealing the throne from Queen Elizabeth I.

The ship, along with two others – La Lavia and Santa Maria de Vision – sank off the coast of what is now Streedagh Beach. The ships were wrecked and over 1,000 sailors lost their lives.

The cannons were a significant find.
"We have uncovered a wealth of fascinating and highly significant material, which is more than 425 years old," said Heather Humphreys, Ireland’s minister for arts, heritage and the Gaeltacht, after a special trip to view the findings.